Magnesia-cement composition.



, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed August I T, 1906. Serial No. 931,058.

To allmuhom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. DUDLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, 1n the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magnesia-Cement Composition; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a composition of matter which is especially adapted for use as a flooring, and has for its object the production of an artificial stone which is tough, resilient, but slightly absorbent or hygroscopic, and which does not shrink, swell, crack, or warp to any appreciable extent.

One of the principal features of my invention resides in the use of waterproofed sawdust as an element of the cement composition.

. In making the cement or artificial stone according to my invention it is preferred to combine crushed granite, quartz, sand, clay,

marble, or any other similar inert substance,

sential constituent of the composition, and

the calcined magnesite may be replaced by or mixed with calcined dolomite, the proportion of calcined dolomite being then greater than the calcined magnesite for which it is substituted.

In the claims appended to this specification calcined dolomite is considered the equivalent of magnesium oxid wherever the latter is specified. v

When the cement is to be used, it is made into a thick mortar by the addition of an aqueous solution of magnesium chlorid of about 24? Baum and is laid or molded in any suitable manner.

The several materials forming the composition are each ground or disintegrated to the proper degree of fineness, and after the proper proportion of each is added the whole mass is thoroughly ground and mixed together.

Before the sawdust or fiber is added to the mixture, however, it is first rendered Waterproof, as by being treated with asphalt, ozokerite, or paraffin dissolved in the pro er solvent. I refer to use the paraflin fort is of about one pound of paraffin dissolved in one gallon of petroleum na htha may be ef dried the sawdust is sprinkled or spra ed with the paraffin solutionand is meanw 'le stirred or agitated until it becomes completely saturated. This method of rendering the sawdust non-absorbent requires about one gallon of the parafiin solution for thirty-six pounds of dry sawdust or'fiber. From the sawdust or fiber thus treated the solvent employed is distilled off andrecovered by condensation, or it may be allowed to evaporate. 'By thus treating the sawdust or fiber the wood is' preserved from decay and rendered impervious to moisture and to the magnesium chlorid, and therefore a less amount of such magnesium-chlorid solution is necessary in forming the cement. The cement when. set is also thus rendered tougher,

more resilient, and less absorbent. v Instead of adopting the method of waterroofing by spraying and stirring, as hereto- Fore described, the sawdust or fiber may be simply dipped into the solution employed for that urpose. 1 i

Vvffile' the relative proportions of the several ingredients are susceptible of variation, an excellent composition may be made by the admixture of the following constituents in the proportions, by weight, stated: fifty parts of crushed granite, quartz, sand, clay, marble orother similar inert substance, thirty parts of ma nesium oxid, fifteen parts of waterproofe sawdust or fiber, and five parts of asbestos, the mixture to be prepared and made into a mortar with an aqueous solution of magnesium chlorid as previously described,

As heretofore stated, the mixture may be made without asbestos, and in such case the creased proportionately.

The foregoing mixture makes a smooth spread or molded. When, for example, it is laid as a floor upon a wooden or concrete base, it may be spread about oneehalf inch thick without danger of cracking or warping, and .by reason of the character of the composition it is found to be unnecessary to proanduniform mortar, which may be readily purpose, an to this end a solution consisting fectually employed. After eing thoroughly proportion of sawdust or fiber may be in- I vide cuts or expansion-joints to compensate for changes in temperature.

Having thus described my invention, What .I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A ma esia-cement composition containing an mitially-Waterproofed absorbent substance.

2. A magnesia-cement composition containing initially-waterproofed cellulose fiber.

3. .A magnesia-cement composition contaming an absorbent substance treated with parafin.

the naphtha.

4.. A magnesia -cement composition con-' taining an absorbent substance saturated with a solution of dissolved paraffin and subsequently freed from the parafiin solvent.

5. A magnesia-cement composition containing an absorbent substance saturated with a solution'of arafiin dissolved in petroleum naphtha and 6. A magnesia-cement composition containing cellulose fiber saturated with .a solution oi dissolved parafiin and subsequently freed from the parafiin solvent.

7. A magnesia-cement com osition eontaini cellulose fiber saturate With-a"solu tion -0 paraifin dissolved in petroleum naphtha and subsequently freed from the naphtha. 8. A magnesia cement composition con taining cellulose fiberv treated With araffin.

9. A magnesia-cement composition containing an absorbent substance initially treate t 10. A'ma Beam-cement composition containing cellu ose fiber initially treated to render 1t impervious to a solution of magnesium chlorid. 11. A magnesia-cement composition containing an inert substance, ma nesium onid,

" and an initially-waterproofed a sorbent substance.

12. A magnes1a-cementcomposition contaimng an inert substance, magnesium 01nd,

subsequently freed from o render it impervious to a solution. of magnesium Cl'llOIld.

ssasao an initially-wat'erproofed absorbent substance, and asbestos.

13.. A magnesia-cement composition con- 'taim'ng an inert substance, magnesium oxid,

and initially-Waterproofed cellulosefiber.

14. A magnesia-cement composition containin an inert substance, magnesiumoxid, initialfiy-waterproofed cellulose fiber, and asbestos.

15. A magnesia-cement composition containing an inert substance,- magnesium oxid,

and an absorbent substance initially treated v 18. A magnesia-cement compositioncontaining an inert substance,-magnesiurn 01nd, cellulose fiber treated with paraflin, and asbestos. g

19. A composition of matter composed of an inert substance, ma esium oxid, initially-Waterproofed cellufd se fiber, and mag nes'ium chlorid.

20. A composition of matter composed of an inert substance, magnesium -oxid,-'in i I tially-Waterproofed cellulose fiber, asbestos f andmagnesium chlorid.

21. A magnesia-cement composition containing magnesium chlorid, magnesium oxid, and an absorbent substance which prior to incorporation With the magnesium chlorid.

has been treated with a substance impervious .to the latter. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM L. DUDLEY.

, Witnesses:

, ROBERT EWING,

THos. G. KITTRELL. 

